


ache in the jaw

by SwingBallBlues



Category: Monsta X (Band), No.MERCY (TV)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Present Tense, Romantic Friendship, Soulmates, WAIT THIS IS NOT SHOWHO??? lmao, gun out there makin a name for himself am i not a proud mom, joogun - Freeform, their friendship makes me so emo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-27
Updated: 2016-06-27
Packaged: 2018-07-18 13:46:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7317628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SwingBallBlues/pseuds/SwingBallBlues
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>#gun was up there with the stars, but he fucked it up.</p><p> </p><p>(in which gunhee gets eliminated from show me the money and jooheon knows all too well how it goes from there)</p>
            </blockquote>





	ache in the jaw

jooheon swallows down the lump in his throat before he even knows it's there. he brings the phone up to one ear, his free, just as clammy hand coming up to support his chin off the table. he wets his lips, and waits.

 

the dial tone clicks, but the greeting doesn't come. 

 

"gunhee," jooheon calls softly. "gunhee—"

 

"hi, love," the other says, cutting him off like he's been meaning to do so. "hey hey hey."

 

jooheon doesn't realize he's been biting his lower lip until he catches a patch of skin with his teeth. he doesn't usually do that. he doesn't have a nervous habit. 

 

"you called," gunhee says, his voice deeper and raspier than the last time they spoke. how long has it been? 3 weeks? 3 months? how many packs of cigarettes he'd smoked then? "i figured that's not just to hear me talking to myself? communication goes both ways, joo."

 

jooheon laughs. _joo-joo_. it's been so long. he needn't be so anxious. "how're you, man?"

 

 _are you okay?_ but he doesn't dare ask it. of course he's not.

 

"grand as ever," gunhee declares, and jooheon can almost see the grin playing at his lips. "i can finally get me some sleep. like, proper shut-eye. i never knew i could sleep that long."

 

"how long?" 

 

"19 hours? fuck me, man. you'd think someone drugged me or something."

 

jooheon laughs again. he feels downright ridiculous for being so worked up earlier. it's always _so_ easy talking to gunhee. "hyungwon hyung would beat you to it," he smiles, and immediately wishes gunhee could see it. "but seriously, though. you deserve it."

 

"did i make our honey proud?" gunhee asks. despite the sudden drop of the nickname, he sounds serious, and jooheon knows not to tease him about it.

 

"you know you did," he replies. "why didn't you tell me, gunhee?"

 

gunhee hadn't said a word following his elimination. if jooheon didn't watch the broadcast, he wouldn't have known. he'd figured, since gunhee's made it to the top 12, he might as well get into the semifinal. 

 

jooheon can almost hear him shrugging. "you were busy. you had better things to mind. it seemed pretty trivial."

 

jooheon frowns. "you think i wouldn't care?" he feels somewhat offended. "you made it so far, gunhee. you were up there with the big names."

 

when gunhee speaks again, he sounds a little... shy? "i was up there with the _stars._ then i fucked up," he laughs, and jooheon can't tell if it's genuine or not. most likely the latter.

 

"you'd never done that before," jooheon mumbles. his mind wanders off to the memory of their trainee days, back when the two of them were basically glued to each other all the time. from nuboyz to no mercy, it was so much easier back then.

 

"mother nature is a bitch, isn't she?" he sounds so much smaller, surprising jooheon. "i guess i shouldn't have brushed you off so easily when you got eliminated. it really fucking hurt, mate," he doesn't bother laughing this time. "i just kept thinking about my mom."

 

jooheon's heart drops to his stomach. 

 

"fuck 'em," he finds himself saying boldly. "you don't owe anyone anything, gunhee. you can only go up from here."

 

maybe, maybe not. how long does gunhee have to wait? the clock won't slow its ticking for him.

 

"don't be stupid, i owe my mom this much," gunhee says with no real irritation behind it. jooheon knows.

 

"so i listened to the song," jooheon bites his lip again. no point in lying. "i've been listening to it a lot, actually."

 

"hm?" gunhee replies lazily. "what'd you think?"

 

it's the same story gunhee's told over and over again. different beats, different delivery, different lyrics, but the message is loud and clear. it's always been the same since day one.

 

"amazing. you're gonna break my heart."

 

 _i miss you, i miss your voice,_ he wants to say.

 

"that good? enough to get me a name next to minho hyung's? _'nice to meet you, sharpgun. and who's this? oh, nice to meet you too, mino.'_ "

 

"yes," jooheon rests his head against the table. the cool marble helps the blood flow quicker. the words, too. "i miss you. let's meet up."

 

silence. 

 

"gunhee, c'mon."

 

"it's over?"

 

gunhee means his promotional schedule. jooheon understands.

 

"yes, i can check again when i'm free," he shrugs off his cap, running a hand through his hair. "hongdae, d'you wanna go down there? go to the karaoke we always go to? itaewon? fuck, doesn't matter. i just wanna see you."

 

gunhee laughs loudly, almost breaking out into a full cackle. jooheon can't help but follow suit.

 

"how'd you survive a day without me?"

 

"where the fuck is my ' _i miss you too'_?"

 

"what if i'm busy?"

 

jooheon scoffs. 

 

"kidding. only the stars are busy. have you heard? they're preparing for a gig. another show me the money gig already. i'm no star."

 

if gunhee was in front of him, jooheon would put a finger on his face to silence him.

 

"you are to me," he says. he can do this all day. gunhee would never see his blushing.

 

more laughing. jooheon feels his chest tighten. he can't wait to hear it in person. "flattery will get you nowhere, joo."

 

"see you in a bit," jooheon's cheeks hurt. he didn't realize he's smiling so much, so wide.

 

"chitty bang bang," gunhee says, and they both laugh for a good minute until gunhee hangs up first.

 

* * *

 

jooheon spots gunhee from miles away. it's crowded but how could he tell? he convinces himself it's the tattoos, not the face. the summer sun shines too brightly at six in the evening, or is it afternoon, still? gunhee is wearing black on black, as always. his cap is off-white with some random writing at the front. he's lost so much weight, looking almost like a different person entirely.

 

it's like in the movies. gunhee greets jooheon with a squeak and throws his arms around him. 

 

"you shoulda told me it's gonna be hot out," gunhee says when he lets go of jooheon, smiling stupidly.

 

jooheon smiles himself, too, and can't seem to stop. "don't you have other clothes," he tugs at gunhee's shirt, "i would believe you if you said you'd survived a heat stroke."

 

gunhee raises his brows. "i didn't know looking cool would be so hot."

 

jooheon rolls his eyes at that, but gives it away by laughing seconds later. he pulls gunhee into another hug, hitting their foreheads together in the process because they're standing too close. it's comfortable, familiar.

 

"better?" jooheon finally asks him after setting down 2 venti americanos on the table separating them.

 

gunhee is _smirking,_ looking at him with a glint in his eyes jooheon can't make out.

 

"better," he says, sitting upright from his seat to get closer. "all i had to do was see you, damn."

 

"charmed," jooheon smiles, dimples and all.

 

gunhee places his hands on the table, palms up. jooheon takes them and squeezes.

 

"i wanna write," gunhee says. "with you. just like we used to."

 

jooheon squeezes his hands a little harder.

 

"make some legit stuff. put it out there. enough of this soundcloud bullshit," he says again, but he's not quite looking at jooheon anymore. "can you imagine people paying for my music?"

 

he's got the image on a loop in his head. the concert, the screams of his name, the trumpets, the girls, and jooheon. stood at the far end of the stage hidden by the curtains, getting as smashed as the guy at the front row with a slim girl on his shoulders. they'd go for pizza afterwards, just the both of them. hip to hip, hand in hand. 

 

"i can," jooheon says assuredly. "and they will. soon."

 

gunhee shifts his gaze back to him, smiling. his gum is showing. "let's take over the world. you and me."

 

when jooheon blinks, he sees the fifteen year old gunhee used to be. same dream, same partner by his side. "you and me."

 

**Author's Note:**

> i know they prolly meet up at the company often but work with me ok


End file.
